Zack's Adventures In Babysitting
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Zack babysits for Mr. Belding's daughter Jessica


Disclaimer: I don't own Saved By The Bell

* * *

><p>Mr. Belding was in a bind. His wife was pregnant with their second child and he had a seven year old daughter. He just found out that his wife's sister died. They couldn't bring Jessica to the funeral. But they had nobody to watch her. There was a knock on his office door. It was Zack.<p>

"Well Zack," he said, "Is this a social visit or do you have a reason for being here?"

"Both," Zack said, "I thought we could make a deal"

"What are you talking about," he asked.

"I would be willing to babysit Jessica," Zack offered.

Belding paused. Zack was a bit of a clown but he was a good guy and Jessica really did like him. He seemed to like Jessica a lot too. He wasn't irresponsible. Belding trusted him.

"And in exchange," he asked not totally trusting the boy.

"We put yesterday's incident behind us," Zack said calmly.

"That's all," Belding asked, "Alright you have yourself a deal. Be at my house at 9 AM Saturday."

"Yes sir," Zack said

"None of your shananagains either," Mr. Belding said, "We don't go for that... understand"

Zack and Mr. Belding often had conflicting points of view.

"Yes sir," Zack said, "I'll be there at 9 AM sharp and you don't need to worry about my shanagains. I don't know what shanagains are but you don't need to worry about mine."

"Fantastic," Belding said, "I'll have a list of instructions for you at the house and I will go over anything you might need to know"

"Yes sir," Zack said, "I'll see you tomorrow"

...

Zack rang the doorbell at a quarter to 9.

"Zack," Belding said, "You're early. I'm impressed."

"Thank you sir," Zack said, "Hello Mrs. B"

"Hi Zack," Becky Belding said smiling a little. She was not too happy. Her sister was dead after all and they were going to her funeral.

"I'm so thankful to you for doing this," she told him, "It's really getting us out of a bind."

"Hi Zack," Jessica said brightly

"Hey how's my champ," he said high-fiving Jessica.

"Well you have quite a way with children," Becky said surprised. She knew Zack liked kids and she knew he was good with them but she didn't know that he was **that **good. Mr. Belding filled Zack in on what he needed to know.

"One more thing," Mr. Belding said, "This is my child. She is the most precious part of my life. Do not let anything happen to her. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Zack said

"Richard," Becky said, "We need to get going. We don't want to be late for Amy's funeral"

"What's a funeral Zack," Jessica asked when her parents left.

"Well," Zack said, "A funeral is like when someone goes away and they all gather together to say goodbye until we see you again"

"Oh," Jessica said, "Wanna play with my dollies?"

_Not really, _Zack thought to himself

"Sure," he said.

They played dolls for awhile.

"Can we do something new," Zack asked

"Sure," Jessica said, "How about hopscotch"

Zack groaned to himself.

"I don't know how to play that," he said

"I can show you," Jessica said sweetly.

Jessica showed him how to play hopscotch. They played until lunchtime.

"What's for lunch," Jessica asked.

"Um... what do you want," Zack returned the question.

"Pizza," Jessica said

"Ah," Zack laughed, "You're a girl after my own heart. I like pizza too."

He called and ordered a pizza pie. Since Mr. Belding said she was allergic to pepperoni he didn't order anything but the cheese pizza.

"Can I have soda with lunch?"

"I believe your parents have a rule that you can only have soda once a week and you already had it this week," Zack said

Jessica pouted.

"How about ginger ale," Zack suggested

"Okay," Jessica said.

After lunch it was time for Jessica's nap.

"I'm not tired," Jessica said.

"Oh you're not huh," Zack asked, "Okay. You don't have to nap"

"I don't?"

"No. You can help me clean up instead"

"I'll nap," Jessica said

Zack laughed.

"Good choice champ," he said and she laughed.

"K," she said.

Jessica napped for about an hour. When she woke up she was coughing and had a slight fever.

"What hurts kiddo," Zack asked.

"I feel achy," Jessica said.

Zack called her doctor and described the symptoms. He said to give her a cool bath and some soup and if she wasn't feeling better in a couple of hours he should bring her in. Zack called Kelly. Now Kelly happened to be mad at him for something he did a few days earlier.

"Hello?"

"Kelly it's me"

"WHAT ZACK," she snapped.

"Okay look I know you're mad at me and you have every right to be but I need you right now."

"What do you need," Kelly asked

Zack explained the situation.

"Okay fine," she said, "I'll be right over. Is there anything else you need?"

"Yes," he said, "I need you to forgive me?"

"Alight," she said, "if you will take me to see Jane Eyre the musical"

"Okay," he said wincing.

He hated that musical. But he owed it to her and he needed her.

...

Mr. and Mrs. Belding got home at 11 o'clock that night. The funeral was out of town.

"How was she," Mr. Belding asked.

"Good as gold," Zack said, "See you Monday"

"I'll see you Monday," Mr. Belding said, "And thank you Zack"

Zack started to head out

"Zack," Mrs. Belding said, "Here"

She handed him a $50.00 bill.

"What's that for?"

"When people work," she said, "They get paid. And you really got us out of a pickle"

"Thanks," Zack said smiling, "See you Monday Mr. B"


End file.
